Her first child was Roy Henry Baker, my Grandpa Baker. I want to do a timeline post on him sometime soon that is going to be a challenge!

Roy Henry Baker Born 05 Jul 1888 - Died 08 Dec 1965
Harry E Baker Born in about 1892 - Died after 1900
Edith M Baker Born in about 1894 - Died after 1910
Ella B Baker Born in about 1898 - Died after 1900 She is missing from the 1910 census when she would have been only 12

There was another child that died by 1900, the census says Virginia Baker was the mother of 5, 4 still living. That child might have been between Roy and Harry but more likely between Edith and Mary.

Then along came Mary Baker in 1902 - Died after 1910

A second husband....

Virginia "Jennie" Smith Born 14 Sep 1906 - Died 26 Apr 1916
Charles Smith Born about 1909 - Died after 1920
and finally
Marguritte Smith in about 1912 - Died after 1920

I was looking at different resources to try to find more about what happened to these Grand Aunts and Uncles, hoping to be able to locate some of their descendants, my cousins. I was poking around on Missouri Digital Heritage last night and found young Jennie Smith's Death Certificate. I can cross her off my list to research.

Jennie was a "schoolgirl", age 9 years 7 months 12 days when she died.She was sick with measles for over a week before she was admitted to the Kansas City General Hospital. She died 9 days later of empyema, a complication of
measles and lobar pneumonia. If you are curious you can read about
empyema here at Healthline and about measles and pneumonia in The Archives of Internal Medicine in 1918. I can not imagine watching a child die of complications of measles. The antibiotics that could have likely saved her were still over a generation away. Under Place of Burial on her death certificate it looks like Unknown is crossed out and above it Forest Hill is written. It says she was buried on April 28th 1916. I have not been able to confirm her place of burial.

Postcard from 1916

Actual photo from the 1920s

Jennie's siblings, Mary age 14, Charles age 7, and Marguritte age 4, would have been at home at this time and seem to have escaped her fate. I could not locate any death certificates for them around the time of Jennie's death.

Friday, February 21, 2014

Virginia "Jennie" Shaw
My Great Grandmother
Interesting fact; Jennie was "Deaf and dumb", I don't know if she was born this way or lost her hearing as a young child.

Born October 1869
in Missouri, USA

Sources; 1870,
1880, 1900, 1920 US Censuses

1870
Residence; Campbell, Greene County, Missouri, USA.

She
is living with her father William Shaw, age 61, her mother Mary
(Oldham) Shaw, age 24, and her sister Frances, age 3. They are living
next door to Mary's mother. William is a “Teamster”.

Source;
1870 Us Census

1870 United States Federal Census, Campbell, Greene County, Missouri, USA

In
1880 she is listed in two US Censuses

1880
Residence 1; Springfield, Greene County, Missouri, USA.

She
is listed as living at the “assylem Fulton”.

She
is listed with her mother Mary J, age 34 and step father John M
Stutzman, age 49, Occupation; Carpenter, along with several half and step siblings and her
sister Belle (Frances), age 13, and brother Johnie, age 7. There are
also boarders living in the house including Mary's mother and sister.

When
did her father William die? The only clue I have is from
Ancetry.com “His grand-daughter told a story of how he was driving
a wagon back from Boliver (to Springfield), and he was killed by
bushwackers just outside of town (Springfield). It was on
"Stagecoach" road, just as it crests out over a hill."

1880 United States Federal Census, Springfield, Greene County, Missouri, USA

1880
Residence 2; Fulton, Callaway County, Missouri, USA

She
is a pupil at the Missouri Institute for the Education of the Deaf
and Dumb.

When
did she loose her hearing?

1880 United States Federal Census, Fulton, Callaway County, Missouri, USA

1888
- Marriage to John D Baker according to the 1900 census which states
they have been married 12 years.

Source Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-
2002 The copy is so poor it is almost unreadable.

What happened to John D Baker? Did
he die or did they divorce?

1907 birth of Virginia Jennie Smith in
Kansas

1909 birth of Charles J Smith in
Kansas

Source; 1910 US Census

1910 US Census Jennie is living in
Topeka, Ward 2, Shawnee County, Kansas, USA

Address 112 Adams St

Wife of head of household Charles
Smith, age 36, birthplace Michigan, parents birthplace, father; New
York and mother; Germany, Occupation; Common Laborer, Odd Jobs

Age 45 (?)

Her second marriage (Charles' first)

Can read and write

Is Deaf and Dumb

Has three more children; Mary Baker age
8 born in Missouri, Jennie Smith age 3 and Charles Smith age 1 both
born in Kansas.

John and Jennie's daughter Ella who
would have been 12 is not on the census with her mother and step
father. Edith and Mary Baker are with Jennie. Roy would have been 22,
his whereabouts is unknown. Harry E. would have been 18 and his
whereabouts is unknown.

By the 1910 Census Jennie is living in
Topeka, Kansas married to Charles Smith, birthplace Michigan, parents
birthplace, father; New York and mother; Germany, and has three more
children; Mary Baker age 8 born in Missouri, Jennie Smith age 3 and
Charles Smith age 1, both born in Kansas. John and Jennie's daughter
Ella who would have been 12 is not on the census with her mother and
step father. Edith and Mary are with Jennie. Roy would have been 22,
his whereabouts is unknown. Harry E. would have been 18 and his
whereabouts is unknown.